#bed store

Buck also works at said company. He didn’t have to move, but he did get a new manager and I wouldn’t care except the new manager has like, maximum seniority and is switching Bucks days off because they both had Thursday/Friday and obviously the manager is gonna keep the days.

She was typing a text to a customer and asked, “Is it ‘lay’ or ‘lie’?”

“Oh I have no fucking idea. Just go with whatever your heart tells you, they won’t know the difference.”

Our other coworker nearby said, “It’s ‘lie’”

We both looked at her in puzzlement. She’s the person on staff most likely to be perplexed by my vocabulary and I literally today had to tell her that the phrase was “Proof is in the pudding” and not, “Truth is in the pudding.”

After a beat I asked, “How are you so sure?”

“I had a teacher last week. She kept repeating, ‘Stop telling me to lay down, it’s lie down!’”

I burst out laughing, “That’s one way to remember it.”

“I don’t think I’ll ever forget again. I’ve been doing this job for three years and have never been corrected.”

I sent back, “I cannot work a bell today as my morning is dedicated to surgery prep because my wife is getting surgery tomorrow.”

The other employee is so goddamn squishy she’ll just do whatever is asked of her but I happen to know that since I work in the city he can’t make changes to my schedule less than two weeks in advance without my consent. He worded it matter of factly rather than as a request but I’m not buying what you’re selling, thanks.

Since I said no the result is that the tiny store he wanted us to cover just won’t open today. The store that seldom sees more than one person on a Monday anyway. Boo fucking hoo, it’s not worth either of us going from a six hour shift to a ten or eleven hour shift.

“I’ve been doing this for twelve years. I know a lot about beds.”

“But you said you hadn’t heard of this one! How would you know what you have that’s similar.”

I got stuck in this time loop for ten minutes where I explained that different retailers call the same mattress different names and that other companies would request well known beds be the one to manufacture a bed to their specifications but that I could look them up and compare. I repeatedly asked where he’d seen the bed he mentioned. He refused to listen or tell me I finally gave up.

The next time he said, “How would you know?”

I just deadpan retorted, “The internet.”

He stopped. The line was quiet between us.

“The internet,” he repeated.

“Yep.”

This broke him. He finally realized he’d pushed me too hard and mysteriously became nicer, listening as I explained. He didn’t retain any of it. Every time I said the one he was looking for was a bed in a box he repeated it with the same incredulity as the first time.

She had also, very thoughtfully, brought a tray of buns for us.

They. Were. Delicious. I got a pork bun and a sweet custard that was as drippy as it was scrumptious. I was fully just going down on that thing trying not to miss any of its filling.

When the transfer team came in I was in a giddy mood. Our bed is coming tomorrow, my energy is finally on the upswing, and I not only did I get to eat out a delicious bun but I got to deliver good news to the nice man who walked in carrying pillows.

“I have a surprise for you!” I announced.

“For me? Are you sure?”

“For the transfer team!”

I went around the corner and reappeared with the takeout bag. His eyes went huge and delighted. I told him the woman’s name and he exclaimed, “That’s my boss!”